Let's join up and do this TOGETHER!

A new Quinnipiac University/Wall Street Journal/WashingtonPost.com poll shows Obama leading McCain in four battleground states.

In Colorado, Obama is up five points (49%-44%); in Michigan, he leads by six (48%-42%); in Minnesota, the edge is 17 points (54%-37%); and in Wisconsin, it's 13 (52%-39%).

The methodology:
From June 17-24, Quinnipiac University surveyed:
-- 1,351 Colorado likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percent
-- 1,411 Michigan likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percent
-- 1,572 Minnesota likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent
-- 1,537 Wisconsin likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent

I was watching MSNBC this morning and a Democratic Analyst was saying the biggest mistake Hillary Clinton made was moving to NEW YORK to become a Senator instead of returning to her original home state of Illinois.  Clinton would have handed Obama his ass in the Primary there and Obama would never have been a Senator.

No Senator Obama, No Democratic Nominee for President Obama, No President Obama in 2008.

I dare say Clinton would have locked this game up MONTHS ago.

But a better option came along for the American People.

Wow isn't it amazing how choices like that come back to bite you in the ass?

In a surprising 4-3 vote... the California Supreme Court has ruled that domestic partnerships do not meet the constitutional requirement for a substitute for marriage rights for California's gay and lesbian couples.

As a progressive gay man, I am overwhelmed by this development.  I am worried that it will become a November issue and a scare tactic for the GOP... but it's a huge step to equality for all.

Hillary and her supporters must be so proud.  Ignorance and racism is your base!  Excellent!

Good Morning America, on the scene in West Virginia, introduced their viewers to Janis. She's not a particularly enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter, but for her, Hillary has got one thing on Barack Obama: she's not a Muslim. Of course, neither is Obama.

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KATE SNOW: Janis said she can't support Obama.

JANIS: He's Muslim and that has a lot to do with it. I just, you know, I just would rather have Hillary.

SNOW: Just for the record he constantly says he's a Christian -

JANIS: I know he does.

SNOW: You don't believe him?

JANIS: No.

Now, it's hardly newsworthy to learn that stupid people exist and they do, in fact, vote. I mean, we have this whole thing called "the Bush Administration" that more or less proves that. But it's a little astounding to hear Kate Snow, who, as a reporter, is ostensibly charged with informing the public, offer up the mealy mouthed, "Just for the record, he constantly says he's a Christian..." As Snow well knows, there's a reason that Obama constantly says he's a Christian: it is because he is a Christian. The correct response would have been, "I'm sorry, but you are mistaken." Or, failing that, at least show us a voter capable of making a passionate and authoritative case for Clinton.

Shocked by this behavior.  Notice no Obama supporters threatening.  Who is dividing the party?


At least two other party insiders wrote the Huffington Post expressing concern over the scope ("I've received emails like this for weeks but tonight it started in mass) and negativity of some of the Obama attacks, including one red-state Democrat:

"I spent my entire life in the two reddest states in the entire U.S. so please excuse me if I fail to discern the nuances of the arguments sent my way this evening in what appears to be an orchestrated campaign to intimidate the remaining unpledged delegates by threatening to leave the party and vote for a third Bush term if I and others like me don't vote for Sen. Clinton," wrote the exasperated superdelegate. "I have been uncommitted throughout this campaign because I wanted to see how the candidates performed in a variety of settings. I am proud of them both. But I am horrified by this effort to threaten votes for McCain if super delegates don't vote for Sen. Clinton. I have received hundreds of emails from both sides - but I can say without exception that I have not received a single email from an Obama supporter that threatened a vote for McCain if I didn't support Sen. Obama. You really ought to be ashamed."

Sad, really.

There's always been a racial dynamic underlying Clinton's claims of electability: The argument that working class white swing voters might not -- for whatever reason -- vote for Obama.

Her campaign has been stating it with striking bluntness in the last couple of days, though. Yesterday it was Geoff Garin, and today Clinton in an interview with USA Today:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

Now, the press has talked about the race in these terms constantly, so I won't feign shock. But it's a bit strange to hear it so bluntly from the candidate's mouth, and probably not a great way to endear herself to African-American voter.

And it's also noteworthy that the blunt talk on appealing to whites surfaces the day after the last round of primaries in which there's a substantial number of black voters.

PolitickerMD reports that State Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor and Vice Chairwoman Lauren Dugas Glover will endorse Illinois Senator Barack Obama this afternoon.


That makes three for the day (not counting the three IL add ons!)

Hilary Clinton?  ZERO!

From Politico

"Matt Seyfang points out to me that, on Tuesday, we'll pass a milestone: There will be more superdelegates than pledged delegates left to fight over. There are currently 404 pledged delegates left to be allocated; that number will be down to 217 Wednesday. By comparison, there are roughly 275 unpledged delegates (automatic and add-ons) still up for grabs. That's a reminder that Obama has both a big lead and that Clinton's running out of ways to close it. It's also a reminder that Obama's strong hand isn't only, or even primarily, about the math. It's about the politics. "

11 pt lead for Barack Obama in NC.

I figured I should post this, since the TPM people can;t seem to post anything positive about Obama lately.

However, if Hillary Clinton wipes her ass... we get a headling...

"Clinton Shoots Rainbows Out Her Butt!"

Let's see with the new IL superdelegates, that makes 5 for Obama today... and ZERO for Clinton!  (1-1=0).

A good day for Barack Obama!

CHICAGO, IL -- Today, a Texas superdelegate backed Barack Obama, citing his record of standing up for working families and opposing trade deals that fail to protect American workers. The endorsement by Texas DNC Member John Patrick, who is also a 31 year member of the United Steelworkers (USW) as well as a Vice President of the Texas AFL/CIO, brings the total number of superdelegates to endorse Barack Obama to 249. Senator Obama is 283 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.



John Patrick said, "Senator Barack Obama has spent a lifetime standing up for American workers, and he will be a crucial voice for us in the White House. Senator Obama chose a career as an organizer on the streets of Chicago, fighting for working families who lost their jobs, specifically those families in neighborhoods devastated by steel plant closings. He has consistently opposed unfair trade deals that fail to offer protection to American workers - like NAFTA. Senator Obama has a real plan to put money back in the pockets of working families by restoring the manufacturing base in America."

Obama picks up 3 more Illinois superdelegates: Daley, Currie and Stroger.

WASHINGTON--When the Democratic Party of Illinois meet next week to finish filling out the delegate slate, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will pick up three more superdelegates, according to Steve Brown, a spokesman for state party chair Michael Madigan, who is also the speaker of the Illinois House.

That's because the three appointments are all pledged to Obama: Mayor Daley --he shares strategist David Axelrod with Obama and brother Bill, the former Commerce Secetary is on the Obama team; Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), a Hyde Parker who lives near the Obamas'; and Cook County Board President Todd Stroger.

A recent poll from Rasmussen suggests that the Democrats' problem in November might not be white voters, but black voters. From the internals of today's Rasmussen poll (sub. req.):

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows John McCain attracting 46% of the vote while Barack Obama also earns 46%. In a match-up with Hillary Clinton, it's McCain 47%, Clinton 45%. Among White voters, McCain leads Obama by twelve and Clinton by eleven. Among African-American voters, Obama dominates but Clinton attracts just 59% support.

While both Democrats hold equal numbers among white voters, the big discrepancy comes from black voters.

This would be CATASTROPHIC for downticket Democrats in November! Wowzer

Hello All!

I would like to offer a sincere apology to all Clinton supporters for my negative posts regarding Hillary Clinton in the last several weeks.  As I sat thinking about my negative tone in my last several posts, I realized that my behavior has been wildly inappropriate.

I had become bitter by the hateful posts I have seen about my candidate, Barack Obama, and it affected my clear thinking.  Being told repeatedly that I am being manipulated by a snake-charmer and victim to some sort of kool-aid drinking tragedy got me in a fit.

From here on out, I will not post negatively about Hillary Clinton.  I will continue to post positively about my preferred candidate, Barack Obama.  I will also continue to point out any time I think Hillary Clinton or her campaign are not being genuine or honest in their spin.  But I will not resort to name calling.  I will also not respond inappropriately to the numerous posts from anti-Obama bloggers who continue to bring up their perceived scandals from the Obama campaign.  It is clear that any blogger who posts a discussion of scandals that doesn't include a laundry list of Clinton's own dilemmas is not a blogger who can be reasoned with.  Therefore, this is the last time I will mention scandal.

In a few short weeks this nomination process is going to be over, and the Democratic party needs to come together to defeat John McCain.  There was a time when McCain might have been viewed as a moderate.  That time has passed.  He is pandering to the extremists in his party to try and win theWhite House.  We simply cannot afford another 4 years of Bush policies.

I believe with all my heart that Barack Obama should be and will be the next Democratic nominee for President and the next POTUS.  But no matter who the nominee is, we have to fight to make sure a Democrat is in the White House in 2008.  A divided party will not only sacrifice the White House but potentially the Democratic contol of Congress, as well.

We must come together for the good of our party, and for the good of our nation.

Sincerely,

Dave Morgan

Drip... Drip... Drip... and the rush to Obama goes ON!

Oregon Rep. David Wu, one of Oregon's 12 Democratic superdelegates, announced Thursday that he'd back Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, citing Obama's stand against the Iraq war "from the very beginning."